A Roasting Chat with Molly Stevens

Just before guests arrived for her evening 'Roasting' event, Barbara jo took a moment to chat with author Molly Stevens about her new cookbook, All About Roasting.



In addition to sharing some of her thoughts on this classic cooking technique, Molly named a few fellow authors whose own cookbooks and writings have inspired and guided her on her own culinary journey:

Judy Rogers, Zuni Café

Bruce Aidells, Complete Sausage Book, Complete Meat Book and Complete Book of Pork

Hugh-Fearnley Whittingstall, River Cottage Meat (in particular, his 'Meat Manifesto' is required reading for cooks and carnivores alike)

Spring is Almost in the Air

As the wee crocuses poke their heads out of the ground and days are slowly growing longer, we're all looking forward to warmer, brighter days. We're also looking forward to our line up of Spring events.

On Thursday, March 1 at 6:30 p.m. we celebrate the DIY movement with a shop favourite, Home Made by Yvette Van Boven. Boasting over 200 recipes, Home Made gives simple, from-scratch recipes and cooking ideas, all with a friendly, funny voice. Let Chef Glenys Morgan demonstrate and share some of her favourite DIY ideas from Home Made and you'll be inspired to make it yourself. This class is $110.00 and includes a copy of Home Made.

Tired of the usual supermarket loaf? Baker Chris Brown of Rise Artisan Breads teaches guests how to bake fantastic bread at home from How to Make Bread by Emmanuel Hadjiandreou on Monday, March 5 at 6:30 p.m. Chris will discuss and demonstrate the keys to good bread using a variety of recipes from How to Make Bread that will demonstrate different breadmaking techniques. A fantastic class to inspire new bakers to make bread! This event is $105.00 and includes a copy of How to Make Bread.

On Thursday, March 8 at 6:30 p.m. we host an all ages, all guy class featuring The Guy Can't Cook by Cinda Chavich. In-house chef Glenys Morgan will demonstrate and teach recipes for many impressive, fool-proof basics that will inspire guys to bypass the take out boxes and cook up some great meals themselves. Seats at this class are $95.00 and include a copy of The Guy Can't Cook.

The concept of ‘food as medicine’ is rooted in our most ancient healing traditions, including Greek, Indian and Chinese medicine. On Saturday, March 10 at 10:30 a.m., local author of Food as Medicine, Todd Caldecott,will take us through some of the practical ways that your diet can positively affect your overall health. Join us for an informative workshop with delicious ideas for eating for health. This workshop is $45.00 and includes a signed copy of Food as Medicine.

Pop by for a Pop Up Market with Basil Olive Oil on Saturday, March 17 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Owner Helen Koutalianos will be chatting about and offering samples of the 2011 harvest of their olive oil produced on their own single estate farm in Greece. Bottles of the latest harvest as well as copies of Helen's book, Fresh from the Olive Grove, will be available for purchase.

Everyone's crazy about macarons, the darlings of the French pastry world. On Saturday, March 24 at 10:30 a.m., pastry chef Wendy Boys of Cocolico joins us in the Books to Cooks kitchen to share her tips and techniques for making perfect macarons. Guests will follow along in Secrets of Macarons by Jose Marechal and learn learn about the importance of choosing the right ingredients and equipment, as well as all the key techniques to make the loveliest macarons around. This baking class is $95.00 and includes a copy of Secrets of Macarons.

Montreal Chef Martin Picard visits Books to Cooks to fete his new book, Sugar Shack, on Thursday, March 29 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The traditional Quebecois cabane a sucre or sugar shack has been turned on its ear (and no doubt it's a pig's ear) by Chef Martin Picard. Touted for his bold, decadent nose-to-tail cuisine featured at his Montreal restaurant Au Pied de Cochon, his new book, Sugar Shack celebrates the rustic traditional foods of maple sugar shacks with a nod to tradition and twists and additions that only Chef Picard can imagine. Join us for a sugaring off party and meet Chef Picard over Sugar Shack snacks and good cheer. Tickets to this reception are $85.00 and include a signed copy of Sugar Shack.

Award-winning winemaker, Johannes Selbach, of Selbach-Oster Winery in the Mosel region of Germany, pairs up with Vikram Vij of Vij's and Rangoli restaurants for an exclusive afternoon of east meets west food and wine pairing on Saturday, March 31 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Johannes will pour his award-winning Riesling and will speak about his winemaking process and winery. Vikram will pass morsels from Vij's and Rangoli restaurants while sharing insight about how Rieslings are the perfect wine to pair with spicy, complex Indian flavours. Tickets are $75.00 and include a copy of either Vij's or Vij's at Home.

For more information about these and more events visit our Events page. Please call 604-688-6755 to register

Happy Roasting with Molly Stevens

We were “All About Roasting” in the shop with Molly Stevens as she took us through an evening filled with fine technique, fine cooking, fine wine, and the finest company. We’ve long admired Molly as a writer and cookbook author –  all of us at the shop are fans of her classic All About Braising, so it was with great pleasure that we could finally welcome her to the shop to talk about her latest cookbook venture. Nearly five years in the making (Molly is a painstakingly thorough researcher and recipe tester), All About Roasting is all that we expected and more.  Molly sums up the simple art of roasting and her own revelation on this classic technique in her introduction, “There is no simple path to perfect roasting. It’s a process, a conversation between you the cook, the oven heat, and the food you’re roasting. The variables are endless, and there are very few strict rules.”

No rules perhaps, but certainly a few tricks of the trade that Molly generously shared with us as she took us through the preparation of a finely roasted dinner. With assistance from  Chef Lawren Moneta, Molly prepared an all out roasting menu starting with Herb-Roasted Shrimp with Pancetta, followed by Garlicky Roast Chicken Thighs with Lemon and Herbs, Maple-Brined Pork Loin with Apples, Onions and mustard Bread Crumbs. A side dish of Slow Roasted Cauliflower with Coriander was the ideal crunchy accompaniment. For a sweet ending, Molly coated sliced pineapple in brown sugar and roasted them decadent perfection. Roasting has taken on a whole new level of comfort food for those of us who had the pleasure of sharing in Molly’s passion and enthusiasm. 

A bed of lemons for herb-roasted shrimp

Roasted & glazed to perfection

Mark hangs back as Molly pitches in 

with the washing up.

Breaking News!

Montreal Chef Martin Picard visits Books to Cooks to fete his new book, Sugar Shack, on Thursday, March 29 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The traditional Quebecois cabane a sucre or sugar shack has been turned on its ear (and no doubt it's a pig's ear) by Chef Martin Picard. Touted for his bold, decadent nose-to-tail cuisine featured at his Montreal restaurant Au Pied de Cochon, his new book, Sugar Shack celebrates the rustic traditional foods of maple sugar shacks with a nod to tradition and twists and additions that only Chef Picard can imagine. Join us for a sugaring off party and meet Chef Picard over Sugar Shack snacks and good cheer. Tickets to this reception are $85.00 and include a signed copy of Sugar Shack.

Award-winning winemaker, Johannes Selbach, of Selbach-Oster Winery in the Mosel region of Germany, pairs up with Vikram Vij of Vij's and Rangoli restaurants for an exclusive afternoon of east meets west food and wine pairing on Saturday, March 31 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Johannes will pour his award-winning Riesling and will speak about his winemaking process and winery. Vikram will pass morsels from Vij's and Rangoli restaurants while sharing insight about how Rieslings are the perfect wine to pair with spicy, complex Indian flavours. Tickets are $75.00 and include a copy of either Vij's or Vij's at Home.

For more information about these and many other events, visit our website. Please call 604-688-6755 to register.

Books to Cooks at Tales of the Cocktail

We've set up shop at Tales of the Cocktail this week with a stirring selection of cocktail books. Drop by for a visit to find the perfect mixology book for your library.

On opening day we were treated with a most delectable cocktail featuring St. Germain, an elderflower liqueur, called the Hummingbird. A refreshing mix of St. Germain, champagne and soda, this would be the perfect aperatif for a brunch to welcome Spring or for those moments when you'd like to be transported to Paris circa 1947.

Slainte Mhath!

Another Robbie Burns night has come and gone and already we are drouthy for another dram. A hearty thenk ye to our fine hosts for the evening our good friend Jim Byrnes and whisky educator Bruce Mackenzie. Bruce gamely led us through a tasting of some of the finest whiskeys he could source, while sharing his wealth of knowledge about each of the makers and the subtleties of tasting and enjoying each offering. Throughout the evening Jim enchanted us with readings and tales of some of the Bard of Ayr’s finest achievements, addresses and toasts, while appropriately honoring his immortal memory and spirit through sharing some of the naughtier bits. 

After a welcome grace from Jim we tucked into a cup of Parsnip and Pear Soup then allowed ourselves a bit of pomp as our guest piper, Aidan Caves, led our Parade of the Haggis. Brandishing both haggis and dirk, a kilt-clad Tony Peneff laid the haggis before us on its groaning trencher, while as custom would have it Jim recited “The Address to a Haggis”. Then, with dignified ceremony, Tony raised his blade and sliced open the haggis. And so began the feasting and tasting

Thenks to Tony for keeping the whisky flowing and our drams filled. And, to Mark and Glenys for keeping our stomach filled with fine Scottish fare. With a whisky-infused Scottish Cheddar and Cheese Scones with Smoked Salmon, Glenys found the ideal complements to our single malts. And, Mark’s Scotch Eggs were, as always, a highlight to the offerings. In fact, this evening’s guests could be split into two camps: those who came for the Scotch whiskey and those who came for the Scotch eggs. 


 

Thirteen Single Malts later, our groggily satisfied tasters left the evening with souvenir glasses (emptied of course) and book in hand. Each departed in good cheer and high spirits after a festive evening spent in good company honoring poetry, tradition and fine malt whisky.

For those who could not make it to our event and those who did but misplaced their tasting menu, here is a list (in tasting order) of our Robbie Burns night featured Scotch Single Malt Whiskies:

Tullibardine 1993

Springbank, 10 Year

Bruichladdich, organic & vatted

Old Pulteny, 17 year

Auchentoshan, 3 wood

Balvenie, Signature 12 year

Glenfiddich, 15 year

Glen Dronach Original, 12 year

Aberlour, a’bunadh, Batch 30 (Jimmy’s favourite)

Bruce’s Mystery (Connemara, Peated Irish Malt)

Balvenie, 17 year peated cask

Bomore, Darkest 15 year

Arbeg, Uigeadail

Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some would eat that want it; 
But we hae meat, and we can eat,
Sae let the Lord be thankit.